THERE are Dutchmen who can flourish their marker pen like the old masters at the tactics board. There are others who simply know how to stick the ball in the net such as Robin van Persie.

Van Persie beats Forster from a sharp angle to open the scoring after pouncing on an errant backpassAnd it was the job of Van Persie last night to perform the second of those roles and save his Dutch countryman and manager, Louis van Gaal, from a critical mauling over his misguided decision to re-employ the 3-5-2 tactics which have caused Manchester United so many problems.

United climbed to third place in the Premier League thanks to an elegantly taken opener from Van Persie in the 12th minute and then a more untidy winner - which delivered an utterly undeserved victory - scuffed in at the back post off Wayne Rooney's long-range free-kick in the 71st.

Well, they all count, attractive and mundane. But Van Gaal got away with one here. The tactical switch was confusing because Van Gaal had abandoned this set-up after it had left his team looking uncertain and nervous earlier in the season.

Yet the same problems surfaced and before half-time, he was shuffling his personnel and inserting Michael Carrick into a central defensive role to shore things up at the back and in midfield.

It delivered United's fifth straight win and, unlikely as it seems based on this performance, they are in their best position so far in Van Gaal's opening season.

Barcelona's Nou Camp became known as Amsterdamon-Sea during the time Van Gaal and Ronald Koeman worked together there as head coach and No2 in the late Nineties. Here by the Solent, the Dutch flavour was just as powerful, although it was Van Persie who made the first impact rather than the two feuding coaches from the Netherlands.

Van Persie's form has been stuttering this season. That did not mean he had any doubts what to do when Jose Fonte placed an appalling, blind-side back-pass invitingly into his path. In rapid time, Van Persie pounced, strode forward and tucked the ball calmly and clinically under Southampton goalkeeper Fraser Forster.

STUART ROBINSON

Graziano Pelle scored the equaliser for Saints but it wasn't enough as Van Persie scored the winnerIt was at Ajax where the two managers worked together 10 years ago that they fell out most spectacularly.

It did not help Van Gaal's planning when Chris Smalling, was forced off injured after only 18 minutes and replaced by Jonny Evans. United's air of easy but phoney confidence began to dissipate rapidly. In fact, the powerful figure of Graziano Pelle had threatened for Southampton with an early glancing header.

From then on, they found it far more easy to pour through United's brittle middle. Marouane Fellaini looked particularly at a loss in central midfield. Ashley Young, the left wing-back, was troubled by the darting work of Shane Long.

And Pelle forced a good diving save from David de Gea with a shot on the turn in the 26th minute. Five minutes later, he ended his five-game goal drought with a sharp finish - again on the turn - from 10 yards out which was helped by a deflection but nothing less than deserved. By the 38th minute, Van Gaal had seen enough and made a tactical change. Off came Paddy McNair with Carrick stepping back into the central defender's role - and the substitute, Ander Herrera, asked to shore up in midfield.

Southampton still emerged the more eager and disciplined team after the break.

It required a desperate save with the legs by De Gea to keep out a close-range header from Long in the 51st minute. Eight minutes later, Pelle lifted a 15-yard effort just above the bar. When Rooney hit a rightwing corner straight out of play, it summed up United's disjointed display.

The mockery which followed was turned cruelly back upon the home fans, though, when Van Persie touched in Rooney's free-kick for United's second.

Not so much Total Football as Total Robbery. Even the Dutch, however know that the game just works like that sometimes.

By the 38th minute, Van Gaal had seen enough and made a tactical change. Off came Paddy McNair with Carrick stepping back into the central defender’s role – and the substitute, Ander Herrera, asked to shore up in midfield.

Southampton still emerged the more eager and disciplined team after the break. It required a desperate save with the legs by De Gea to keep out a close-range header from Long in the 51st minute.

Eight minutes later, Pelle lifted a 15-yard effort just above the bar. When Rooney hit a rightwing corner straight out of play, it summed up United’s disjointed display.

The mockery which followed was turned cruelly back upon the home fans, though, when Van Persie touched in Rooney’s free-kick for United’s second.

Not so much Total Football as Total Robbery. Even the Dutch, however know that the game just works like that sometimes.